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This chapter provides an overview of advanced dielectric materials developed by HD Micro Systems (HDM) that are based on polyimide (PI) and polybenzo‐xazole (PBO) technologies and that are targeted for use as redistribution layers (RDL) in fan‐out wafer‐level package (FO‐WLP) applications where lithographic and reliability performances are important requirements. The first PI products for semiconductor applications were introduced in the early 1970s for use as stress buffers or passivation layers on integrated circuits as well as interlayer dielectrics in high density interconnects on multi‐chip modules. It is well known that dielectrics based on PI and PBO technologies are widely used as RDL in fan‐in wafer‐level packaging (WLP), flip‐chip chip‐scale packaging (FCCSP), and other applications to relocate I/O connections and reduce stress as well as allowing die stacking. The chapter details the process flow, lithography, material properties, and reliability performance that have been generated for PBO‐Gen3 to date and where PBO‐Gen2 is used as a reference.

A $3208\times 2184$ global shutter image sensor with back-illuminated architecture is implemented in a 90 nm/65 nm imaging process. The sensor, having $2.74\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ -pitch-pixels, achieves 10000 electrons full-well capacity and −80 dB parasitic light sensitivity. Furthermore, 13.8 e-/s dark current at 60°C and 1.85 erms random noise are obtained. In this paper, the structure of a pixel with memory along with saturation enhancement technology is described.

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We propose an embodied interface that allows both physical and virtual displacement within an Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE). It consists of a modular wearable used to control a mechanical motion base from which a user is suspended. The motion base is able to navigate in 3D through seven wires whose length is adjusted via a parallel link manipulator. Furthermore, an IMU-based body posture detection enables users to "fly" within the IVE at their own will, providing hands-free navigation, and facilitating other tasks' interactions. To assess the usability of this embodied interface, we compared it with a Joystick-based navigation control. The results showed that this interface allows effective navigation towards several targets located in 3D space. Even though the efficiency of target reach of the Joystick-based interaction is higher, a subjective assessment shows that the interface is comparable to the Joystick in hedonic qualities and attractiveness. Further analysis showed that with more practice, participants might navigate with a performance comparable with the Joystick. Finally, we analyzed the embodied behavior during 3D space navigation. This sheds light on requirements for further 3D navigation design.

This study focused on a bubble rising behavior in a molten glass because it is important to improve the efficiency of removal of bubbles from the molten glass. On the other hand, it is expected that some gas species which exists in a bubble are transferred into the molten glass through the bubble interface, i.e., the mass transfer, subsequently, it may cause a bubble contraction in the molten glass. In this paper, in order to understand the bubble rising behavior with its contraction caused by the mass transfer through the bubble interface in the very high viscous fluid such as the molten glass, a bubble contraction model has been developed. The direct numerical simulations based on the MARS (Multi-interface Advection and Reconstruction Solver) coupled with the mass transfer equation and the bubble contraction model regarding the mass transfer from the rising bubble in very high viscous fluid have been performed. Here, the working fluids were water vapor as the gas species and the molten glass as the very high viscous fluid. Also, the jump conditions at the bubble interface for the mass transfer were examined. Furthermore, the influence of the bubble contraction for the bubble rising compared to that in the water as a normal viscous fluid was investigated. From the result of the numerical simulations, it was found that the bubble rising behavior was strongly affected not only by the viscosity of the working fluid but also by the bubble contraction due to the mass transfer through the bubble interface.

Local site effect assessment based on subsurface ground conditions is often the key to evaluate urban seismic hazard. The site effect evaluation in Lorca town (south-eastern Spain) started with a classification of urban geology through the geological mapping at scale 1:10,000 and the use of geotechnical data and geophysical surveys. The 17 geological formations identified were classified into 5 geological/seismic formations according to their seismic amplification capacity obtained from ambient vibration measurements as well as from simultaneous strong motion records. The shear-wave velocity structure of each geological/seismic formation was evaluated by means of inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion data obtained from vertical-component array records of ambient noise. Nakamura’s method was applied to determine a predominant period distribution map. The spectral amplification factors were fourfold the values recorded in a reference hard-rock site. Finally, the capability of this study for explaining the damage distribution caused by the May 11th, 2011 Lorca destructive earthquake (Mw $$=$$ 5.2) was examined. The methods used in this work are of assistance to evaluate ground amplification phenomena in urban areas of complex geology as Lorca town due to future earthquakes with applicability on urban seismic risk management.

This paper estimates fundamental translational period and damping ratio parameters and examines the changes in dynamic characteristics of a set of low-to-medium rise buildings in Lorca town (SE of Spain) affected by the May 11th, 2011 earthquake. These building parameters have been calculated analysing structural dynamic response from ambient vibration measurements recorded at top RC buildings pre- and post earthquake, using the Fast Fourier Transform and the Randomdec technique. The empirical expression relating period $$(T)$$ and number of floor $$(N)$$ here obtained analysing ambient noise recorded on 59 healthy buildings before the earthquake is $$T= (0.054\pm 0.002)\, N$$ , very similar to others empirical period–height relationships obtained for RC structures in the European built environment but quite different from code provisions. Measurements performed in 34 damaged buildings show a period elongation after the quake according to $$T^{*} =(0.075\pm 0.002)\,N$$ expression. Moreover, we found a rise of the fundamental period with the EMS’s grade of damage of buildings. In contrast to natural frequency, damping ratio $$(\xi )$$ do not shows a significant variation with earthquake damage degree and the product $$\xi \, T$$ remains near constant.

This study aimed to examine whether citrus juice fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum YIT 0132 (LP0132), which was pasteurised after fermentation, could alleviate the symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Subjects with perennial allergic rhinitis consumed LP0132-fermented juice (n=17) or unfermented citrus juice (placebo; n=16) once a day for 8 weeks. During the pre-intervention and intervention periods, the subjects recorded nasal symptoms (number of sneezing attacks, number of nose-blowing incidents, and stuffy nose score). The primary endpoint, nasal symptoms score (NSS), was scored from 0 to 4 according to the ‘Practical Guideline for the Management of Allergic Rhinitis in Japan 2009’ using a combination of the three nasal symptom items. Blood samples were collected at pre-intervention and at 8 weeks after commencing the intervention. There were several significant improvements not only in the LP0132 group but also in the placebo group because of potential anti-allergic effects of citrus. Compared with the placebo group, the LP0132 group showed a significant reduction in the NSS and stuffy nose score during the intervention period. Also, the LP0132 group, but not the placebo group, showed significant attenuation of type 2 helper T cells (Th2 cells)/helper T cells, serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and showed significant augmentation of type 1 helper T cells (Th1 cells)/Th2 cells at 8 weeks of intervention compared with baseline. It is suggested that daily intake of fermented citrus juice containing heat-killed LP0132 has beneficial effects on symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis, and these benefits may be associated with the attenuation of Th2 cells, total IgE, and ECP via the immunomodulating activities of LP0132.

Tsubame is a university-built small satellite mission to measure polarization of hard X-ray photons (30–200 keV) from gamma-ray bursts (GRB) using azimuthal angle anisotropy of Compton-scattered photons. Polarimetry in the hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray band should play a crucial role in understanding of high energy emission mechanisms, the distribution of magnetic fields and radiation fields of gamma-ray bursts. Tsubame has two instruments: the Wide-field Bust Monitor (WBM) and the Hard X-ray Compton Polarimeter (HXCP). The WBM detects a burst and determines on board the direction of the burst occurrence with an accuracy of 10°. The spacecraft is then slewed to point the GRB within 15 s from the WBM trigger using the Control Moment Gyro (CMG), a high speed attitude control device. HXCP will measure the polarized X-ray photons from the GRB while the spacecraft spins slowly around the bore sight. In this paper, we present an overview of the Tsubame mission, the results of a test experiment for HXCP using a polarized hard X-ray beam, and its comparison with a Monte Carlo simulation.

The chemical vapor deposited (CVD) BP films on Si(100) (190 nm)/SiO x (370 nm)/Si(100) (625 μm) (SOI) and sapphire (R-plane) (600 μm) substrates were prepared by the thermal decomposition of the B2H6–PH3–H2 system in the temperature range of 800–1050 °C for the deposition time of 1.5 h. The BP films were epitaxially grown on the SOI substrate, but a two-step growth method, i.e., a buffer layer at lower temperature and sequent CVD process at 1000 °C for 1.5 h was effective for obtaining a smooth film on the sapphire substrate. The electrical conduction types and electrical properties of these films depended on the growth temperature, gases flow rates and substrates. The thermal conductivity of the film could be replaced by the substrate, so that the calculated thermoelectric figure-of-merit (Z) for the BP films on the SOI substrate was 10−4–10−3/K at 700–1000 K. Those on the sapphire substrate were 10−6–10−5/K for the direct growth and 10−5–10−4/K for the two-step growth at 700–900 K, indicating that the film on a sapphire by two-step growth would reduce the defect concentrations and promote the electrical conductivity.

The depth of the basement and the structure of shallow sedimentary materials in Mula town (SE Spain) have been estimated applying an association of the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method and the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method for ambient noise. Regular pentagonal arrays with radii up to 30 m have been employed for velocity computation. A map of predominant periods has also been obtained by applying the HVSR method to a set of 97 ambient noise measurement points of a grid, which covers the terrain equally. This map reveals a general increasing trend in the period values, from the rock outcroppings in the northern part of the town to the central and western zones where the shallow geological materials that cover the basement increase in thickness. S -wave velocity structure derived from ambient noise analysis reflects geological and geotechnical models obtained for sites where both types of raw data were available.

The damage distribution in Adra town (south-eastern Spain) during the 1993 and 1994 Adra earthquakes (5.0 magnitude), that reached a maximum intensity degree of VII (European Macroseismic Scale (EMS scale)), was concentrated mainly in the south-east zone of the town and the most relevant damage occurred in reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with four or five storeys. In order to evaluate the influence of ground condition on RC building behaviour, geological, geomorphological and geophysical surveys were carried out, and a detailed map of ground surface structure was obtained. Short-period microtremor observations were performed in 160 sites on a 100m x 100m dimension grid and Nakamura's method was applied in order to determine a distribution map of soil predominant periods. Shorter predominant periods (0.1-0.3 s) were found in mountainous and neighbouring zones and larger periods (greater than 0.5 s) in thicker Holocene alluvial fans. A relationship T = (0.049 ± 0.001)N, where T is the natural period of swaying motion and N is the number of storeys, has been empirically obtained by using microtremor measurements at the top of 38 RC buildings (ranging from 2 to 9 storeys). 1-D simulation of strong motion on different soil conditions and for several typical RC buildings were computed, using the acceleration record in Adra town of the 1993 earthquake. It is noteworthy that all the aforementioned results show the influence of site effects in the degree and distribution of observed building damage.

Tests were conducted to measure the fundamental frequencies of reinforced concrete beams. Beams were tested prior to load application and after they had been loaded to various fractions of their ultimate moment capacity. Dynamic testing was performed in an unloaded state in both the direction of loading and in the direction perpendicular to loading. Resulting fundamental frequencies were used to determine the dynamic flexural stiffness ( Ed I) relative to the undamaged flexural stiffness. Results show that fundamental frequency tests can effectively measure decreases in dynamic flexural stiffness caused by flexural cracking. However, the effective moment of inertia in the relaxed state is not accurately predicted by American Concrete Institute recommendations for computing static beam deflections. Equations were developed to describe the effective flexural stiffness of unloaded, cracked beams. A relative dynamic flexural stiffness value of 70 provides a conservative prediction that a beam has failed by be...

悪性大腸狭窄に対して姑息的self-expandable metallic stent(EMS)挿入術を行った自験17例を本邦報告77例とあわせて集計することにより本法の現状と有用性,問題点を探った.自験例では挿入にともなう早期偶発症はなく,挿入率も100%であった.本邦報告例では,挿入部位は直腸が約半数,原因疾患は原発性大腸癌が約半数,挿入成功率は100%,臨床的有効率は93%であった.再狭窄が12例13%に認められたがEMS再挿入で半数は対応可能であった.migrationは7例7%,穿孔は3例3%に認めた.挿入期間は1～576日,平均145日,関連死亡は無かった.本法は,手術に比較して人工肛門を回避することが可能であるだけでなく,安価安全で有効率も高く治療時間も短い.根治術が困難な出血をともなわない全周性狭窄型大腸癌に対しては人工肛門造設術にかわり,今後第一選択的治療法になりうる.本邦でも一日も早い認可が待たれる.

The electrical properties of n-BP films newly prepared by thermal CVD in the B2H6–PH3–H2 system were improved by a deuterium lamp excitation. High-temperature electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power of amorphous boron and polycrystalline boron phosphide films grown on silica glass were measured to evaluate the thermoelectric figure-of-merit (Z). In particular, the Z-value for photo-thermal BP films was higher (10−4/K) than that of boron films, indicating that they are promising for high-temperature thermoelectric materials.

Fixed-abrasive multi-wire sawing processes can be used to slice silicon and quartz crystal due to the introduction of resinoid diamond-wire or electroplated diamond-wire tools. The latter kind have a higher wear resistance, but have higher production costs because electroplating is time consuming. Consequently, it is impractical to use them because they are too expensive. In this paper, ultra high-speed electroplating using felt brushes is proposed for manufacturing them. A series of experiments revealed that production speed is improved 30 times and tools produced with the new process have a higher wear resistance than commercially produced tools.

In Almeria city large earthquakes occurred and many buildings were completely destroyed in these historical earthquakes. The actual population of Almeria city is about 200,000 people. This population is rapidly increasing and new urbanizing areas are growing to the eastern part of the city where they are located in softer soil conditions. Consequently, the evaluation of surface soil conditions is very important from a standpoint of earthquake disaster mitigation. We have obtained a landform classification map developed by analysing aerial photos, large-scale topographic maps and 80 borehole data. Eleven unit areas, which have different soil conditions, were inferred from this research. Also, S-wave velocity prospecting tests were carried out at several sites within the city. The shear-velocity values of the ground vary from 1689 m/s in hard rock to 298 m/s in soft soil. These results are useful for understanding the uppermost soil characteristics and are used for soil classification. Finally, short-period microtremor observations were densely carried out in the research area and Nakamura’s method (1989) was applied for determining predominant periods. Microtremors were observed at about 173 sites with mainly 400 m interval in rock sites and 200 m interval in relatively soft soil sites. From the result of these microtremor measurements, the predominant period determined at rock site, in the western part of the city and historic area, is very short, about 0.1 s, and very stable. However at soft soil sites, in the center of the city, near Zapillo Beach and in the newly developed urban area, the predominant period is about 1.0 s and even larger in concordance with the geological conditions. Finally, at medium soil sites, in the eastern part of the city, the predominant period is about 0.4 s and it appears very stable in the whole region. The difference of predominant periods between hard rock and soft soil sites is very clear and it has been observed that the distribution of predominant periods depends heavily on the surface soil conditions.

Phospholipase A2, which is linked to a protein kinase C pathway, hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine into cis-unsaturated free fatty acids and lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC). The present study investigated the effect of the free fatty acids, such as arachidonic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acid, and lysoPC on neurotransmission by monitoring population spikes (PSs) from the granular cell layer of rat hippocampal slices. All the free fatty acids and lysoPC examined here gradually increased PS amplitude to a different extent, the effect being evident 60 min after treatment. No significant synergistic enhancement in the PS amplitude was not induced by arachidonic acid following oleic acid, linoleic acid or lysoPC. The results of the present study, thus, demonstrate that phospholipase A2-linked free fatty acids and lysoPC are employed in the sustained facilitation of hippocampal neurotransmission, suggesting a significant role of a phospholipase A2 signaling pathway in the neuroplasticity.

Asthma is a complex syndrome in which bronchial inflammation and smooth muscle hyperactivity lead to labile airflow obstruction. The commonest form of asthma is that due to atopy, which is an immune disorder where production of IgE to inhaled antigens leads to bronchial mucosal inflammation. The ultimate origins of asthma are interactive environmental and genetic factors. The genetics is acknowledged to be heterogeneous, and one chromosomal region of interest and controversy has been 11q13. To clarify the nature of the chromosome 11q13 effect in atopy and asthma, we conducted a genetic association study in subjects with marked atopic asthma and matched controls, which incorporated the study of 13 genetic variants over a distance of 10-12 cM and which took account of detailed immune and clinical phenotyping. Association with high IgE levels was limited to the interval flanked by D11S1335 and CD20 in a 0.8-Mb interval and was greatest for variants of Fc epsilon RI beta and HTm4; these variants also associated with asthma (recurrent wheeze with labile airflow obstruction and need for regular inhaler treatment). At the more telomeric marker, D11S480, variants associated with asthma, but not with high IgE levels. The data might support the possibility of multiple loci relevant to atopic asthma on chromosome 11q13.

851 school children aged at 12–13 years including 145 with eczema were tested for genetic association to a mast cell chymase (MCC) genetic variant. MCC genotypes showed a strong association with eczema, but not with asthma and rhinitis. This association is strongest in eczematous children with lower serum total IgE levels. Independent of IgE responsiveness when total serum IgE of less than 500 IU/ml, MCC variants may play an important role in inflammatory skin disorders.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most drastic and intriguing phenomena in high energy astrophysics. The nature of relativistic collimated outflows that bight be generated by gravitational collapses of massive stars is to investigate the physical process just around the central engines by constraining magnetic environment. For this purpose we developed a compact and high sensitive hard x-ray polarimeter aboard a university class micro-satellite "TSUBAME." Unsurprisingly, any micro-satellites have stringent limitations on size, mass, and power consumption restricting the effective area of detectors. However, high luminosities of GRBs allow us to measure their polarizations only if we start observations just after the ignitions. TSUBAME overcomes this problem by using compact an high-torque actuators, control moment gyroscopes, that enable high speed attitude control faster than 6° s -1 . Cooperating with a wide field burst monitor on board for real time position determination of GRBs, TSUBAME can start a pointing observation within ~15 s after the detection for any GRBs in the half-sky field of view of the burst monitor.

“Tsubame” is a university‐built small satellite mission that measures polarization of hard X‐ray photons (30–100 keV) from gamma‐ray bursts (GRB) using azimuthal angle anisotropy of Compton scattering. The satellite is intended for a piggy‐back launch on the H‐IIA rocket. It uses Control moment gyros to quickly orient itself to GRBs within 15 seconds from triggers. We are now developing the engineering model of the two detector systems on Tsubame, the polarimeter and the bust monitor. In this paper, we present an overview of the Tsubame mission, and detail of development of engineering model of our polarimeter and burst monitor.

A 300-MHz 16-b full-programmable parallel-pipelined video signal processor ULSI has been developed. With multifunctional arithmetic units to achieve parallel vector processing, and with a phase-locked-loop (PLL) type clock generator to help attain the 300-MHz internal operating speed, this ULSI is able to attain, with only one chip, 30-frame-per-second full-CIF video data coding based on CCITT H.261. Two different types of pass-transistor BinMOS circuits have been developed to help achieve an access time of 3 ns for a 146-kb SRAM and for data buses. Fabricated with a 0.5- mu m BiCMOS and triple-layer metallization process technology, the video signal processor ULSI contains 1.27-million transistors in a 16.5*17.0-mm/sup 2/ die area. >

Cute-1.7+APD II is the third pico-satellite developed by students at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. One of the primary goals of the mission is to validate the use of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) as a radiation detector for the first time in a space experiment. The satellite was successfully launched by an ISRO PSLV-C9 rocket in Apr 2008 and has since been in operation for more than 20 months. Cute-1.7+APD II carries two reversetype APDs to monitor the distribution of low energy particles down to 9.2 keV trapped in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), including South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) as well as aurora bands. We present the design parameters and various preflight tests of the APDs prior to launch, particularly, the high counting response and active gain control system for the Cute-1.7+APD II mission. Examples of electron/proton distribution, obtained in continuous 12-hour observations, will be presented to demonstrate the initial flight performance of the APDs in orbit.

[1] The Cute-1.7+APD II, 10 × 15 × 20 cm3 in size and 5 kg in mass, is the third picosatellite developed by students at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. One of the primary goals of the Cute-1.7+APD II mission is to validate the use of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) as a radiation detector for the first time in a space experiment. While the mission itself is immature compared to the forefront satellites of space plasma physics, use of APDs offers various possibilities regarding a brand-new electron energy analyzer for medium-energy electrons and ions (1–100 keV), as well as a high-performance light sensor for the future X-ray astronomy missions. The satellite was successfully launched by ISRO PSLV-C9 rocket on 28 April 2008 and has since been in operation for more than a year. The Cute-1.7+APD II carries two reverse-type APDs to monitor the distribution of low-energy particles (mainly electrons and protons) down to 9.2 keV trapped in a low Earth orbit (LEO), including the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) as well as aurora bands. We present the design parameters and various preflight tests of the APDs prior to launch, particularly, the high counting response and active gain control system for the Cute-1.7+APD II mission. Examples of electron/proton distribution, obtained in continuous 12 h observations, will be presented to demonstrate the initial flight performance of the APDs in orbit.

To determine the clinical characteristics of patients (young women) with cervical carcinoma aged less than 35 years.Data from patients who were treated for cervical carcinomas from 1990 to 2000 in the Kinki District were retrospectively investigated for clinical stage, histologic type, treatment procedure and prognosis.Of a total of 4,975 cases, 441 patients were aged less than 35 years old. The incidence of cervical carcinoma in these women was 7.9% from 1990 to 1995, 9.1% from 1996 to 2000, and 9.5% from 2001 to 2005. FIGO Stage I included 374 cases, followed by, 49 in Stage II, 11 in Stage III, and seven in Stage IV. Squamous cell carcinoma incidence was 80.7% and non-squamous cell carcinoma incidence was 19.3%. Several types of surgery were performed in patients with Stage I and II, while patients with Stage III and IV were treated with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy without any type of surgery. In patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, 21.1% cases had nodal involvement. The 5-year survival rate was 95% for Stage I disease, 73% for Stage II, 68% for Stage III, and 19% for Stage IV.The incidence of cervical carcinoma in young women slightly increased from 1990 to 2005. The prognosis of cervical carcinoma tends to be better in young women than in older patients, especially in Stage III disease.

It is quite important to obtain wide band spectra of high energy astrophysical phenomena at the same time in order to probe emission processes or structures. Especially observations of transient objects, such as gamma‐ray bursts, expect detectors with wide energy band coverage for the sake of an efficient spectroscopy within limited time windows. An avalanche photo diode (APD) is a compact photon sensor with an internal gain of ∼100. We have developed an X‐ray/gamma‐ray detector using a reach‐through APD (5×5 mm2) optically coupled with a conventional CsI(Tl) scintillator, which covers typically from 1 keV to 1 MeV. Further, we developed a 1‐dimensional array of the 8/16 APDs (net 16×20) mm2) for the purpose of an imaging photon detector combined with coded masks, to be applied in future missions. We present the current status and performances of our hybrid detector using the 8‐channel array.

A 2 K-word dictionary search processor (DISP) LSI has been developed. The DISP LSI consists mainly of a 160-kb content addressable memory (CAM) to store keywords and a cellular automaton processor (CAP) to perform concurrent and approximate word searches against the stored keywords. This CAP performs distance calculation based on dynamic programming (DP), which is necessary in approximate word searches, through the use of an array of extremely simple processor elements. CAP hardware size is less than 1/10 of that of a conventional systolic array processor. The DISP LSI, which was fabricated using a 0.8- mu m, triple-layer-Al, CMOS fabrication technology, has a die size of 13.02*12.51 mm/sup 2/ and contains about 1.2-million transistors. It operates at a clock frequency of 33 MHz with a 5-V power supply, and it typically consumes 800 mW. >

DNA replication terminus (ter)-binding protein (TBP) in Escherichia coli binds specifically to the terminus (ter) site, and the resulting complex severely blocks DNA replication in an unique orientation by inhibiting the action of helicases. To generalize the intrinsic nature of the orientated ter-TBP complex against various helicases, we tested the potential of the complex to inhibit the action of three helicases, DNA helicase I, simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor (T) antigen, and helicase B, derived from F plasmid, SV40, and mouse FM3A cell, respectively. The complex impeded the unwinding activities of all tested helicases in a specific orientation, with the same polarity observed in case of blockage of a replication fork, and, as a result, there was a block of SV40 DNA replication in both crude and purified enzyme systems in vitro. As the specificity in polarity of inhibition extends to heterologous systems, there may be common structure/mechanism features in helicases.

Single-point machining technology using a flying tool has been proposed in order to turn a supersmooth surface independently of error motions on the machine tool in use. In the process, a discoid slider with a sapphire chip follows the prefinished surface by the action of a hydrodynamic bearing. The cutting mechanism of the technology was investigated: the height of the cutting edge was maintained between the peak and the valley of the surface roughness so the surface finish was improved due to the truncation; the cutting depth was varied following the vertical acceleration of the workpiece surface with small delay, which may improve the waviness.

Editor—Atopy is characterised by raised IgE levels and it underlies the clinical disorder bronchial asthma.1-3 IL-4 and IL-13 play a key role in the development of asthma acting through the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) and IL-13R, respectively.1-3 Since these two receptors share the IL-4Rα chain, this subunit is the crucial component required for IL-4 and IL-13 signalling.1-3 Recently, three coding variants in the human IL4R gene have been identified and these showed genetic and functional association with atopic asthma in different ethnic groups. The Ile50 variant was associated with atopic asthma in a Japanese population4 5and Arg551 or Pro478 were associated with IgE levels in American6 and German populations,7respectively, but perhaps through different mechanisms. Ile50 specifically and strongly upregulates cellular IgE synthesis through stat6 when tested by cDNA transfection into human and murine B cell lines.4 5 Functional assay of Arg551Gln IL-4Rα showed impaired binding of the negative regulatory molecule, protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHP-1, and increased expression of CD23 was found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after challenge with human IL-4.6 However, this finding was not replicated by another group.8 In contrast, Pro478 is in tight linkage disequilibrium with Arg551 in a German population and may change the structure of the receptor, leading to altered phosphorylation patterns of signal molecules and hence lower IgE levels.7 These findings emphasise the genetic heterogeneity of atopy and question whether the molecular interaction between variants of IL-4Rα and its associated signal transduction molecules, such as stat6, may be important.1-3 The Stats are a family of transcription factors evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to humans.9 To date seven different STAT genes have been identified in humans.9 Stat6 activation correlates with functional …

Second-generation oral H1-antihistamines have become a mainstay of treatment for the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis; however, the effect of olopatadine has not been widely reported to date.To evaluate the efficacy of 2 oral H1-antihistamines, olopatadine and fexofenadine, in the treatment of the nasal symptoms of Japanese cedar pollinosis and their possible side effects.This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study conducted in an environmental exposure unit (EEU). Twenty volunteers suffering from Japanese cedar pollinosis were randomly divided into 3 groups and exposed to cedar pollen in the EEU with oral administration of olopatadine hydrochloride (5 mg), fexofenadine hydrochloride (60 mg), or placebo 1 hour prior to pollen exposure. Nasal symptoms, activity impairment, and subjective sleepiness were self-assessed during the study period. Attention was measured using the digit cancellation test. The trial was repeated after 4 and 7 weeks.Compared with placebo, olopatadine significantly improved nasal symptoms and activity impairment during pollen exposure (P.05). There was no significant relief of nasal discharge or nasal congestion with fexofenadine throughout the 5-hour exposure to cedar pollen. Furthermore, olopatadine significantly reduced nasal congestion during the first 2 hours, as well as sneezing and nasal discharge 4 hours after admission to the EEU compared with fexofenadine (P.05). There was no significant difference in the effect on subjective sleepiness among the 3 groups, and all 3 agents had little effect on attention.These findings suggest that olopatadine is more effective than placebo and fexofenadine in improving nasal symptoms of Japanese cedar pollinosis.

Electron transport of glow-discharged C2H2- and CH4-based SiCx:H films has been studied by time-of-flight method. The electron mobility at room temperature decreases nearly exponentially with increasing carbon content in both C2H2- and CH4-based films. This decrease is mainly due to a broadening of the tail states width in SiCx:H films, as implied from the carbon content dependence of the activation energy of the electron mobility in CH4-based films.

The pressure dependences of the superconducting transition temperature and the Hall coefficient have been studied for YBa2Cu3O7, YBa2Cu4O8, Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8, and Tl2Ba2CuO6+y. The pressure coefficient of Tc changes from positive to negative as one goes from the underdoped to the overdoped side. The Hall coefficient has been found to decrease by ∼ 8–10%/GPa for these cuprates. Based on these results, the correlation between the pressure dependence of Tc and the carrier density dependence of Tc is discussed. The present results are also compared with our earlier result on La2−xSrxCuO4.